November 12, 2008

expert comments on new research into the mechanisms underlying Tamoxifen resistance, as published in Nature

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have identified a molecular mechanism for the response to tamoxifen in breast cancer cells, which may provide an explanation for why some women develop resistance to the treatment.

Dr Paul Pharoah, Cancer Research UK Senior Clinical Research Fellow, University of Cambridge, said:

“Tamoxifen is a commonly used treatment for breast cancer. We know that some women with breast cancer respond poorly or develop resistance to therapy with tamoxifen. These data suggest that it may be possible to identify these women and offer them alternative therapies. However, the results need to be confirmed in much larger studies with carefully collected clinical data before it will be possible to offer a test.”